As you may or may not know, LONGMIRE, the most-watched scripted drama in the history of A&E, has been cancelled. We here at TVWriter™ were divided about the show. Some of the minions loved it. Others wouldn’t even try the show out cuz “old people, you know?”
In view of its ratings success, both camps wondered why the series was dropped – and now we have the answer, straight from the horse’s mouth. Proving that Facebook is good for something after all, LONGMIRE showrunner Craig Johnson has posted his take, and it gives us a wonderful – or maybe horrifying – insight into the television executive mind.read article
In the BBC’s Rev., Tom Hollander and James Wood have created something wholly unique. And by wholly unique… I mean, I have no idea what I’m watching. Not only have I never seen anything like it, I was for a long time at a loss for words for even how to describe it. Except…I’m in love.
Rev. is a comedy, of that I am sure. Or, at least I think I am. I find it funny – but not CBS- sitcom-laughter-at-precise-intervals-funny. It’s more like a cold dish of awkwardness, smothered in general hesitancy, with a side of human suffering – which, as it turns out, is really, really funny.
Rev. is the story of a small town vicar (the Reverend Adam Smallbone) who’s all of a sudden at the helm of an inner city parish. In addition to co-creating and writing for Rev., Tom Hollander also plays the title character, and in this role he’s absolutely perfect. His characterization of the Rev. is completely original – wistful, earnest, prone to doubt (both of himself and his creator), fond of beer, and occasionally completely nuts. In short, he’s human. And unlike the caricatures we’re so used to when it comes to members of the clergy, the Rev. Adam Smallbone is painfully real; sweet, searching, and maybe a little F’d up. (Sorry, Reverend.)read article
A wise and helpful review from one of TVWriter™’s favorite writers who no one over here knows. (Cuz if we did, we’d be recruiting her to work for us.)
So You Want To Be A TV Writer
by Charlie Jane Anders
The “writers’ room” of a television show is a magical place, where creativity flows and awesome ideas are generated. But how do you keep “the room” happy and focused? Some of the top showrunners, including Joss Whedon, share their secrets in this exclusive excerpt from the book Showrunners.read article
Holy economic revolution, gang! Looks like interweb TV is here to stay. Who’d a thunk it? (Outside of us all, that is.)
by David Lieberman
The debate is over, or should be, MoffettNathanson Research’s Michael Nathanson says this morning: Advertisers are shifting spending to online video at the expense of traditional TV programming that isn’t “essential” — meaning live sports and events, hit scripted shows, and cable shows that appeal to hard-to-reach audiences. Even with a flood of political ads coming over the next few months, Nathanson just lowered his 2014 ad forecast for national broadcast TV to +2% from +5%, and for national cable to +5% from +6%.
Many media CEOs dismissed the weak ad trends in the first half of this year, blaming the Winter Olympics in Q1 or the World Cup, which peaked in July during Q3. CBS chief Les Moonves, for one, said that he’s “now seeing pacing improve significantly here in Q3, both nationally and locally, and Q4 will be even better than Q3.”
Cutting? As in shortening the length of your masterpiece? Why would you do that? What does it matter really?
Well, it matters a whole lot. If a magazine says maximum length is 2,500 words and not one more, no exceptions, the editor probably means it. Screen script? Max of 120 pages (yes there are a whole lot of ways to cheat, but it won’t win you any friends if you do), novel 100,000 words – if they say it they mean it.
If there is a stated limit it might well be the first thing the editor/reader/publisher looks at. Over limit, the hard work of hours, days weeks, could well get tossed without a backward glance. Yes, there are exceptions, but why go there?read article
by David Lieberman